Git allows arbitrary code execution through broken config quoting (CVE-2025-48384)

What is affected, what to do

This vulnerability in Bitnami Git combines an interpretation inconsistency (CWE-436) with a link-following weakness (CWE-59), allowing an authenticated attacker to manipulate file system path resolution and achieve high-impact compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability across a changed security scope. The attack requires user interaction and elevated network complexity but is fully remotely exploitable. Active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed, and CISA has added this vulnerability to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, signalling immediate operational risk. Organisations running affected versions of Bitnami Git must prioritise patching without delay.

The vulnerability is being actively exploited; treat it as a priority. Update Git to version 2.43.7. Immediate actions, mitigation and detection rules are in the runbook below.

Affected

• Git gte 2.44.0-rc0, < 2.44.4..*
• Git lt *..2.43.7

Fixed in

• Git 2.43.7

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Metrics

Response and mitigation

1. 01

   Runbook step 1

   Immediate response (0-24 h)

   • Upgrade Git on all developer workstations, build servers and CI/CD runners to a fixed release: v2.43.7, v2.44.4, v2.45.4, v2.46.4, v2.47.3, v2.48.2, v2.49.1 or v2.50.1. Inventory with git --version. Prioritise macOS and Linux hosts, because the attack relies on symlinks and a carriage return (CR) in the submodule path.
   • Cover bundled Git binaries: update Apple Xcode to 26.0, which ships the fix. Inventory IDEs, GUI clients and container images that carry their own Git separately. For Debian 11, apply the distribution security update — look up the package version in the Debian security advisory.
   • Freeze recursive clones of untrusted code: until patching is complete, prohibit git clone --recurse-submodules, git submodule update --init and git pull with submodule.recurse enabled for repositories from untrusted sources (forks, external PRs, sample code from forums).
   • Triage CI/CD first: pause pipelines that check out external pull requests or third-party repositories with submodules, or move them to patched runner images. Self-hosted runners take precedence, as they are persistent and often hold secrets.
   • Scope potential compromise: if untrusted repositories were cloned recursively in recent weeks, rotate SSH keys, Git PATs, cloud credentials and signing keys on the affected hosts. Review shell profiles and LaunchAgents/systemd user units for persistence.
2. 02

   Runbook step 2

   Mitigation layers

   • Client configuration hardening: set git config --global submodule.recurse false and enforce it via MDM or configuration management (Ansible, Jamf, Intune). Optionally point git config --global core.hooksPath /etc/git/empty-hooks at an empty, root-owned directory. This blocks hook execution in submodules but breaks hook-driven workflows such as husky or pre-commit, so coordinate with the teams that use them first.
   • Server-side ingress control: on GitLab, Gitea or Bitbucket, deploy a pre-receive hook that rejects pushes containing .gitmodules entries ending in CR (grep -nP '\r$' .gitmodules). Apply the same rejection to symlinks (mode 120000) that target .git/modules or hooks.
   • Pre-clone inspection: clone untrusted repositories without submodules first. Then inspect the raw files with grep -nP '\r$' .gitmodules and git ls-files -s | awk '$1=="120000"'. Do not rely on git config -f .gitmodules: Git strips the CR on read, which is precisely the bug.
   • Build isolation: run CI runners as ephemeral containers or VMs, one per job, with no long-lived secrets and an egress allowlist limited to artifact registries and Git servers. Build external PRs only in pipelines without access to deployment credentials.
   • Least privilege: run developer accounts without local admin rights. Scope Git tokens narrowly and keep their lifetimes short, so that user-context code execution has limited blast radius.
3. 03

   Runbook step 3

   Detection rules

   • EDR process ancestry: git → sh/bash/zsh → curl/wget/python/osascript/nc, with /.git/modules/ and hooks/post-checkout in the command line. KQL example: DeviceProcessEvents | where InitiatingProcessFileName =~ "git" and ProcessCommandLine has "hooks/post-checkout".
   • Linux auditd / Sysmon for Linux (EID 1): execve events where exe or cwd matches */.git/modules/*/hooks/post-checkout. Sigma shape: logsource: linux/process_creation, selection: ParentImage|endswith: '/git', CommandLine|contains: '/hooks/post-checkout'.
   • Filesystem artefacts: directories or symlinks whose names end in CR (\r). Endpoint hunting command: find ~ -name $'*\r' 2>/dev/null. Also look for symlinks inside working copies that point at .git/modules/*/hooks.
   • Network telemetry (Zeek/Suricata): unusual outbound connections from build runners or developer hosts immediately after clone operations, such as unknown domains or paste and file-sharing services. Correlate Git traffic (HTTPS/443, SSH/22) with follow-on egress within seconds.
   • Git server logs: pushes that introduce both new .gitmodules entries and symlinks, plus rejections by the pre-receive hook above. Forward both as SIEM alerts.

Detection rules

No NEOSEC detection rule is available for this vulnerability yet.

Classification under NIS2 and CRA

Rule-based classification from exploitation status and severity. It does not replace a case-by-case assessment.

NIS2

NIS2 is EU Directive (EU) 2022/2555 to raise the level of cybersecurity across the Union. It substantially broadens obligations compared with the first NIS directive: more sectors, mandatory risk management, staged reporting duties and personal accountability of senior management.

Read in glossary

Actively exploited: treat the vulnerability as a priority in vulnerability handling under Art. 21(2)(e) NIS2. If it is exploited in your environment, check the reporting obligation under Art. 23 (early warning within 24 hours).

CRA

The CRA is EU Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 setting horizontal cybersecurity requirements for „products with digital elements“ — from industrial controllers and software to connected consumer devices. For the first time manufacturers must ensure security across the entire product lifecycle, handle vulnerabilities and provide security updates.

Read in glossary

Since 11.09.2026, manufacturers of affected products with digital elements must report actively exploited vulnerabilities under Art. 14 CRA, with an early warning within 24 hours via ENISA's single reporting platform.

ISO/IEC 27001

ISO/IEC 27001 is the internationally leading standard for an information security management system (ISMS). It describes a risk-based, process-oriented framework to systematically plan, implement, review and improve information security.

Read in glossary

Control A.8.8, management of technical vulnerabilities: assess relevance to your systems, plan remediation and keep evidence.

Description

Git is a fast, scalable, distributed revision control system with an unusually rich command set that provides both high-level operations and full access to internals. When reading a config value, Git strips any trailing carriage return and line feed (CRLF). When writing a config entry, values with a trailing CR are not quoted, causing the CR to be lost when the config is later read. When initializing a submodule, if the submodule path contains a trailing CR, the altered path is read resulting in the submodule being checked out to an incorrect location. If a symlink exists that points the altered path to the submodule hooks directory, and the submodule contains an executable post-checkout hook, the script may be unintentionally executed after checkout. This vulnerability is fixed in v2.43.7, v2.44.4, v2.45.4, v2.46.4, v2.47.3, v2.48.2, v2.49.1, and v2.50.1.

Source: Debian LTS Advisories, redhat_csaf, NVD (NIST), OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities), cvelistv5, CISA KEV Catalog, CVE.org (MITRE), pwn.watch, Microsoft Security Update Guide

Vendors and products

• Apple Apple Xcode
• Debian Debian Linux
• Debian Git
• Git Git
• Microsoft Microsoft Git

Weakness classes (CWE)

• CWE-436Interpretation Conflict

  Class

  Product A handles inputs or steps differently than Product B, which causes A to perform incorrect actions based on its perception of B's state.

  Entry at MITRE CWE-436

• CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')

  Base

  The product attempts to access a file based on the filename, but it does not properly prevent that filename from identifying a link or shortcut that resolves to an unintended resource.

  Entry at MITRE CWE-59

References & sources

• github.comgit/git/security/advisories/GHSA-vwqx-4fm8-6qc9web, x_refsource_CONFIRM, pwn-watch
• NVD (NIST)NVD: CVE-2025-48384web, pwn-watch
• cisa.govknown-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-48384web, government-resource
• seclists.orgfulldisclosure/2025/Sep/60web
• openwall.comlists/oss-security/2025/07/08/4web
• lists.debian.orgdebian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00003.htmlweb
• pwn.watchpwn.watch: Git: Link Following Vulnerabilitypwn-watch
• access.redhat.comGit advisory: Gitpwn-watch
• alas.aws.amazon.comGit advisory: Gitpwn-watch
• linux.oracle.comGit advisory: Gitpwn-watch
• Microsoft Security Update GuideGit advisory: Gitpwn-watch
• cisa.govCISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalogpwn-watch

Changes to this CVE

Who changed this CVE and when: NVD (analysis, affected products, CVSS), the CVE publisher (CNA) and additional providers such as CISA (ADP).

One NVD translation into another language is hidden.